Christmas with the Taylors
by LizzyBennett
Summary: he first Christmas Mac will celebrate with his team since his wife died, also happens to be the first Christmas spent with Reed. Will everything go the way Mac's wants it to go or will there be some problems? Mac/Peyton Mac/Stella, The Team, Reed Chap 1up


Title: Christmas with the Taylor's

Author: LizzyBennett

Story Summary: The first Christmas Mac will celebrate with his team since his wife died, also happens to be the first Christmas spent with Reed. Will everything go the way Mac's wants it to go or will there be some problems? Mac/Peyton Mac/Stella, Lindsay/Danny, Flack/Angell, Adam, Hawkes, and last but certainly not least Reed.

Disclaimer: I do not own CSI:New York. If I owned CSI:New York, do you think I would be a broke High school student? No I will be spending my time sipping pepsi by the seashore. So please do not think I profit off of this. I just like to write for pure enjoyment and fun.

A/N: For those who read my Brink of Sanity story, you all know that I was going to write a Christmas story. But I have been dared by a fellow writer and older sister to write the story with these three guidelines:

A. The age of Reed has to be five (in the intermission chapter of Brink of Sanity Reed was five, so my sister told me he has to be five)

B. Love has to reign at the end of the story

C. It can only be three chapters and it has to be done by Christmas

So taking on the challenge set before me I will write it. This chapter takes place a couple of months after the intermission chapter of my Brink of Sanity story, so I implore you to go read the chapter again or read it for the first time to get some of the jokes.

*Look who cares about how the writers of the show makes their characters appear, this is my story and in my story I will write the characters the way I want them to appear. If you don't like it DON'T READ IT.

*When a name appears in bold in means a shift in Character and in thought.

* * *

**Christmas with the Taylor's **

Christmas had come to New York. Snow laced the paved streets, Christmas songs filled the malls, as eager shoppers finished their last minute holiday shopping. The smell of cake, cookies, and other holiday goodies, seemed to linger in the crisp cool air. There was nothing like Christmas time in New York, it truly was the best place to be for Christmas.

The New York Crime lab was also filled with with holiday goodness. The hustle and bustle of people outside, was matched inside, as CSI's and lab tech's alike, raced to get their last minute work done, so that they can spend the weekended home with their families. The atmosphere around the lab had changed over the past couple of years, before this Christmas, the mood seemed sullen and almost none existent. Attempts to start a secret santa was foiled by the scrooge of a Crime Lab boss, who after the death of his wife, saw Christmas as just another holiday to get out of work and get overly drunk. This scrooge of a Crime Lab boss was of course Mac Taylor, and for the longest, other than the occasional gift exchange with Stella, Mac hardly celebrated Christmas. But all that changed when Mac came into custody of a five year old named Reed Garrett. To say his life changed in a whirlwind was an understatement; in a matter of a few months, Mac went from childless, to sunday morning cartoons. And he wouldn't have it any other way.

So with the change of heart from the boss, the Crime Lab experienced a festival revitalization of sorts. Decorations hung on the walls, and secret Santa was implemented. Mac went out of his way to make sure that his colleague's had enough time to go home and spend the precious moments with their family, like he wanted to spend with Reed. So now, a day before Christmas eve, Mac was sitting in his office trying to get all his last minute work done so he could go home to his son. Focusing so much on the task at hand he hardly heard Stella come into his office:

"Are you still working Mac?" Stella asked.

"Well you look festive." Mac eyed Stella's santa hat.

"Oh this,"Stella touched the hat,"Lindsay, Jess, and I are planning to wear this to Tony's for their Christmas party. Are you coming?"

"No."

"Couldn't find a babysitter? I do believe Adam will be spending the night alone, he would love to watch Reed."

"Stella I would not leave Reed alone with Adam for two minutes let alone a night, no that's not it though, I have plans tonight."

"Plans as in date?" Stella asked surprised.

"Yup."

"With who Peyton?"

"And an elf named Reed Garrett-Taylor."

Stella laughed and sat at the end of Mac's desk, Mac continued:

"Peyton and I are taking Reed to see the Radio City Christmas show. She's never been and neither have I, so this is a perfect time to take Reed."

"That's sweet Mac."

"Well she wants to meet Reed, and she suggested that we all go. I'm a little worried though."

"Why Mac?"

"Well I want to be careful about who I bring into Reed's life, what if Peyton and I don't work out?"

"Mac you sound like a overly concerned woman. Don't worry things are going to be alright, Peyton seems like a nice woman."

"She is." Mac sighed.

"But.." Stella asked hopefully

"Nothing, when are you going over to Tony's?"

"When Jess and Lindsay are done with their work."

"Alright well I am going to finish up this case report before Peyton arrives."

"Well I don't think your going to finish it by that time, because here comes Peyton."

Mac closed his case report

* * *

Peyton and Mac had met when she began working with the M.E. He normally did not date his co-workers, but taking the advice of Stella and others around him, Mac thought it would be time to finally get back into the dating world. He had been dating Peyton for a couple of months, when Reed came into his life, Mac had to learn to juggle his private life with his professional life, something he had not done in a long time.

Peyton walked into Mac office:

"Hello Stella," Peyton greeted Stella with a hug,"Mac," Peyton hugged Mac,"Sorry I'm early but I finished up my work and I did not want to listen to Sid explain his theory on this Santa Clause fellow."

"Yes give Sid the chance and he will tell you all his crazy theories." Mac smiled as he took Peyton's coat.

"I sorta like listening to those crazy theories." Stella nudged Mac.

Peyton smiled,"Maybe some other time Stella."

**Stella** looked down at the floor. She wouldn't admit to Mac that she disliked Peyton because that wasn't true, she liked Peyton and she thought Peyton was a good fit for Mac. But she knew that Mac could do so much better:

"So Peyton you've never been to Radio City music hall?"

"No but I've heard about it. I also heard about the world famous Roceketts, so I figured Mac, Reed and I can go and check them out. Also tonight their Santa is supposed to be greeting the kids so this would be the perfect time to have Reed go." Peyton looked over at Mac.

**Peyton **had wanted to meet Reed from the first moment she heard about him. But Mac, being overly cautious, told her to give it some time. She respected Mac's need to not introduce Reed to too much people after his adoptive parents death, but she was a little sadden that he did not trust her to meet Reed from the very beginning, and even more hurt when he took Stella to go meet Reed for the first time instead of her. She respected Stella and Mac's working relationship, even their friendship, but sometimes she felt that Mac shared more with Stella than he did with her, and that hurt:

"So when is our little elf arriving?" Peyton asked Mac as she sat on the couch in the office.

"You call him elf too?" Stella turned to Peyton.

Peyton nodded her head,"This morning when I was speaking to Mac on the telephone I heard Reed in the background telling Mac that he wanted to be called elf now like the elf's in Santa's toy shop."

"He did?" Stella asked Mac.

"He no longer wants to be Reed, so we're going to call him Elf Reed until after the holidays."

"Well it's better than Prince Reed." Stella laughed.

"No I think he sorta likes that one too, thanks to you Stel" Mac laughed along with Stella.

"Prince Reed?" Peyton asked questioningly.

"When I first brought Reed home, Stella started calling Reed prince because she figured that he was going to be ruling my home because he has me wrapped around his fingers." Mac said through a smile.

"And I was right?"

"Well I'm still planning on my come back."

"And my money is still on Reed."

The two laughed, but Mac, sensing Peyton was uncomfortable, stopped laughing:

"He should be here any minute now,"Mac looked down at his watch,"The nanny said she'll bring him before he she leaves for home."

"Listen to you Mac, the nanny, did you ever think you'll need a nanny." Stella smiled.

"No not really."

"Well Mac life has a way of changing on you." Peyton added.

"It sure does."

Mac responded as the three of them grew quiet waiting for Reed. Trying to think of something to say, Stella looked out towards the elevator just as it opened and Reed and the Nanny stepped off of it:

"Well Mac your little elf is here."

Mac looked out the glass window of his office towards the Reed walking hand and hand with the nanny. Once they were close to the office, Reed let go of the Nanny's hand and ran into Mac's arms:

"Dad Emile let me play in the snow, than we saw Santa."

"You did where at?" Mac asked looking up at Emile.

"Just some street Santa for the Salvation army." Emile responded putting Reed's bag down on the desk.

"And Santa said that he will get me a lot of toys."

"Oh really, well I guess I have to thank Santa." Mac took off Reed's coat.

"Hi Stella." Reed smiled at Stella.

"Hello Elf." Stella hugged Reed.

"Hey how did you know I'm an Elf?"

"Santa told me." Stella looked over at Mac.

"He did."

"Yup." Stella took off Reed's hat.

Once Reed's garments were off and the nanny handed Mac all of Reed's belongings and left, Peyton finally caught Mac's eye and hinted that she wanted to be introduced:

"Reed," Mac called Reed to get his attention as he was showing Stella his new toy car,"There is someone I want you to meet."

Reed walked over to Mac who was now standing near the couch:

"Reed this is Peyton, remember I told you about her, can you say hi?"

Reed looked at Peyton:

"Hello."

"Hello Reed," Peyton smiled at Reed,"I see you have a new car can I see it?"

Reed handed Peyton the toy car:

"Oh wow this is cool."

Reed smiled:

"My daddy gave it to me."

"Before Christmas." Peyton looked up at Mac

"It's was an early Christmas gift." Mac shrugged.

"Well I don't know about that, but are you ready to go meet Santa again."

Reed grinned and nodded his head:

"Alright lets go and see Santa."

Peyton got up and began to put her coat and other things on, while Mac got Reed ready to go out again. When they were all dressed and ready to go, Stella, who had left to take a call, came back to say goodbye and for them to have fun.

**Stella** watched as Mac, Peyton, and Reed left hand in hand, and she felt a pang of jealously. Deep down inside she knew that that was supposed to be her walking with Mac and Reed off to see the show. She repeated to herself that she was not jealous of Peyton, and walked away to meet Jess and Lindsay. While **Mac **debated whether this arrangement with Peyton was the best choice for Reed.

* * *

A/N: Hope you enjoyed this chapter, I hardly knew who Peyton was, but I needed her for the point of my story. I know I could have written her in the wrong context, but than if I wrote all my Fan Fictions like the writers of the show write, than they would be boring and have no originality to them.


End file.
